This is probably too involved and I apologize for the length of the statement, but what the heck I'll give it a go.

Gwendolyn had learned to live with her allergies over the years--dust mites, cats, dogs, bees, milk, wheat--sometimes she despaired of finding something to which she wasn't allergic. She had no rugs or carpeting in her house, kept everything scrupulously clean and had a very effective air filtration system installed. She really seemed to have it under control--all her friends and relatives knew about her problems and were careful not to contaminate her home when they visited.

Then, one day, the symptoms came on with a vengeance: sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives--her body was definitely trying to rid itself of an allergen. The thing was, it happened in her own home, and no one had been by for a visit nor had anyone else been in the house in days. She took her antihistamines and put on her dust mask and cleaned her already immaculate home--when she was done things seemed better, but then that night while she was relaxing in bed it all started up again. She washed everything on her bed from the mattress out (after spending a night on the couch) thinking something there was the culprit but to no avail. Eventually she went to the doctor to see if there was something new she should be watching out for, but her doctor could find nothing new and suggested she might benefit from a vacation somewhere. She booked her favorite cabin in a small mountain resort and was there the next day relaxing on the porch and enjoying the crisp clean air when the symptoms started again (which was quite strange, since she'd never experienced any problems there before).

She put up with the discomfort for the weekend and then went home, where things seemed to be back to normal. Then, two weeks later, the symptoms came back. She was mystified, at first, until she finally made the connection.

Was it something she carried outside from inside? Like the chair she was relaxing on? Was it something that was both inside and outside - like the windows? Had she cleaned the windows? Billowing curtains?

If she hadn't touched something would she have been OK? Did touching something dislodge something that she then breathed in?

Was the thing or substance that caused the reaction in her house way before it all started? or did it get in on that very day? Did she touch this thing on purpose? Is anything of the following involved: cosmetics? food? drink? clothes? shoes? sunglasses? The reaction started when she was sitting or lying? relevant? Is the time span of two weeks important? is there a repeating event responsible for the allergy?

Was it something she carried outside from inside? Yes. Like the chair she was relaxing on? No.Was it something that was both inside and outside - like the windows? No. Had she cleaned the windows? Billowing curtains? No to these.

If she hadn't touched something would she have been OK? Yes. Did touching something dislodge something that she then breathed in? Yope.

Was the thing or substance that caused the reaction in her house way before it all started? Well, not way, but some time. or did it get in on that very day? No. Did she touch this thing on purpose? Yes.Is anything of the following involved: cosmetics? food? drink? clothes? shoes? sunglasses? None.The reaction started when she was sitting or lying? Yes. relevant? No(ish).Is the time span of two weeks important? Yes. is there a repeating event responsible for the allergy? Yes or yope, depending on how you mean it.